Laguna Beach High surf team’s match against Santa Margarita was cut short after stingrays injured two of their surfers and the sighting of an 8- to 10-foot shark resulted in a beach closure near the Huntington Beach this past Sunday, Jan. 8.
Surfers Sam Starr and Noah North both suffered injuries after they stepped on stingrays while running for a wave during their heat in the Scholastic Surf Series competition, coaches Alisa Cairns and Scott Finn said in a statement.
Lifeguards attended to both athletes. North went to Hoag hospital for X-rays, antibiotics and pain medicine after the event, Cairns said.
Lifeguards said they had treated 20 people the day before for similar injuries.
Midway through the competition, lifeguards spotted a shark and called off the event, closing the beach for the next 24 hours.
The event will now conclude during the next Scholastic Surf Series event in Sunday, Jan. 22, at San Clemente Pier.
Before the closure, the LBHS team pulled together. Surfers Travis Booth, Liam McCue, Jett North, Noah North, Jake Levine, Jackson Jenkins, Claire Kelly, and Destiny Thompson competed. Kayla Coscino filled in for an injured Maya Takabayshi.
In the bodyboard final, Travis Booth finished third overall. Booth won his shortboard quarter final, advancing with along with Liam McCue. Jake Levine came in second. In the third quarter final, brothers Noah North and Jett North won their heat.
